Stackable dispenser container

ABSTRACT

An improved container for use in shipping articles is both stackable and capable of forming a hopper to facilitate dispensing of articles from the container. To enable the container to withstand relatively large loads when it is placed in a stack, the container is formed with double paneled front, rear, and side walls. The top and bottom walls are single paneled or layered to promote economical fabrication. A tear strip is formed in an outer panel of the front wall between the top and bottom walls. This tear strip can be removed or torn away to sever the outer panel and release the inner panel of the front wall for outward pivoting movement to form the hopper. The container can withstand a relatively heavy load even when the front wall is pivoted outwardly due to the strength which is provided by the double paneled rear and side walls.

ilnited States Patent 1191 Robinson July 24, 1973 STACKABLE DISPENSER CONTAINER Primary ExaminerDavis T. Moorhead [75] Inventor. gpiiigy G. Robinson, Olmsted Falls, Attorney Youm & Tatum [73] Assignee: Lamson & Sessions Co., Cleveland,

Ohio [57] ABSTRACT 2 Filed; Oct 13 1971 An improved container for use in shipping articles is both stackable and capable of forming a hopper to fa- [21] Appl- 188,978 cilitate dispensing of articles from the container. To env able the container to withstand relatively large loads 521 11.5. c1. 229/17, 229 51 D, 229/51 Ts, when it is plaeed in a stack the container is formed 22 05 with double paneled front, rear, and side walls. The top [51 1m. (:1 865d 5/72, 865d 5/54 and bottom wells are Single paneled or layered P 53 Field f Search 229 9 lo 19 51 D, mote economical fabrication. A tear strip is formed in 229/7, 17 B, 17 R; 221/305 an Outer panel of the front wall between the top and bottom walls. This tear strip can be removed or tom .5 R f Cited away to sever the outer panel and release'the inner UNITED STATES PATENTS panel of the front wall for outward pivoting movement 1 to form the hopper. The container can withstand 'a relag' i g'' z tively heavy load even when the front wall is pivoted 3 593 903 7/1971 De mond at 5 1: "-11.: 229/17 B madly due Strength which is Pmvided 2:684:792 7/1954 Kraus 229/17 B x paneled and We walls- 2,676,746 5 1954 Kello et al... 229 17 B 3,343,903 91967 Royf 229517 R 10 Clams, 3 Drawing Figures STACKABLE DISPENSER CONTAINER The present invention relates to a container and more particularly to a stackable dispenser container.

Cartons of nuts and bolts and similar articles are frequently stacked during shipping and subsequent storage. The lower cartons in a stack must be capable of withstanding a relatively large weight without collapsing. Of course, the heavier the articles in the cartons the greater the weight which the lower cartons must be capable of withstanding.

When articles, such as nuts and bolts, are to be withdrawn from a shipping carton, it is frequently desirable to have the shipping carton open in such a'manner that the carton can be readily closed after some of the nuts and bolts have been removed. It is also desirable to be able to open a shipping carton while it is disposed in a stack of cartons. Of course, if the top of a shipping carton must be opened to gain access to the articles in the shipping carton, the shipping carton cannot be opened while it is near the bottom of a stack of cartons.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved carton which is capable of withstanding relatively heavy loads which are imposed on the carton if it is located near the bottom of a stack of cartons. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved carton which can be opened while it is near the bottom of a stack of cartons.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved container having double-paneled front, rear and side walls to enable the container to withstand relatively heavy loads, the front wall being movable outwardly to form a dispensing hopper.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially broken away illustration of a stackable dispenser container constructed in accordance with the present invention, the container being shown in a closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a partially broken away illustration of the stackable dispenser container of FIG. 1 in an open condition in which a front wall of the container forms a dispenser hopper; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank for forming the stackable dispenser container of FIGS. 1 and 2.

A stackable dispenser container or carton 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 in a closed or shipping condition. A tear strip 12 is formed in a front wall 14 of the container l0 and can be torn away to free the front wall for pivoting movement from the closed position of FIG. 1 to the open or dispensing position of FIG. 2. In the open position, the front wall 14 forms a hopper l8 having a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration with a rectangular mouth or opening 20 through which easy access is provided to the interior of the container 10. Reclosing of the container 10 is accomplished by merely pivoting the front wall 14 from the open position of FIG. 2 back to the closed position of FIG. 1.

The tear strip 12 is located in the front wall 14 of the container 10 between an upper or top wall 24 and a lower or bottom wall 26 (see FIG. 1) to enable the tear strip 12 to be torn to open the container while it is in a stack. If the tear strip 12 was located in the top wall 24 or bottom wall 26, the container would have to be removed from the stack before it could be opened. Although the tear strip 12 is located relatively close to the top wall 24, so that a relatively short flap 30 extends outwardly from the top wall 24, it is contemplated that the tear strip 12 could be located closer to the bottom wall 26 so that the flap 30 would extend outwardly from the top wall 24 across the open mouth 20 of the hopper 18 to provide a dust shield when the carton 10 is the open or dispensing position of FIG. 2.

To enable a substantial number of containers or cartons 10 to be stacked without crushing or otherwise breaking the lower cartons, the container 10 is provided with double layered side walls. Thus, the front wall 14 is formed with an inner panel 34 and an outer panel 36. Similarily, a rear wall 38 is formed by inner and outer panels 40 and 42. Opposite side walls 44 and 46 are also formed with inner and outer panels 48, 50, 52 and 54. These double paneled walls of the container 10 are relatively strong and enable the container to withstand relatively heavy stacking loads. In the interest of economy of manufacture, the top and bottom walls 24 and 26 of the carton are single layered. This does not substantially impair the stackability of the container 10 since stacking loads are primarily carried by the side walls rather than by the top or bottom walls.

To further promote economical manufacture of the carton 10, the carton is formed from a corrugated cardboard blank 60 (see FIG. 3) with a relatively small amount of waste material. The generally rectangular blank 60 is divided into a plurality of panels by suitably disposed slits and fold lines. Thus, the bottom wall panel 26 is separated from the inner front panel 34, outer side panel 50, inner rear panel 40, and outer side panel 54 by a plurality of creases or fold lines 64, 66, 68 and 70. The outer side panel 50 is separated from the inner side panel 48 and from hopper side flap 74 by slits 76 and 78. The crease or fold lines 66 and extend across the blank 60 to separate the inner front and rear panels 34 and 40 from inner side panels 48 and 52 and from hopper side flaps 74 and 80. The inner side panel 52 is separated from the outer side and rear panels 42 and 54 by slits 82 and 84. Similarily the hopper side panel is separated from the outer front and side panels 36 and 54 by slits 88 and 90. Finally, the top panel 24 is separated from the outer rear panels 36 and 42 and side panel 54 by creases 94, 96 and 98. The crease 102 is provided between the flap 104 and the top panel 24.

To facilitate assembly, the tear strip 12 is integrally formed with the outer front panel 36 by score lines 108 and 110 which extend lengthwise across the panel. Each of the score lines 108 and 110 is formed by a plurality of arcuate perforations 112 which are disposed in a linear array with a leading end portion of one of the perforations overlapping or extending beyond a trailing end portion of the next perforation. As was previously explained, the tear strip 12 could be located further from the crease line 94 so that the flap 30 would be large enough to cover the mouth 20 of the hopper 18.

The container 10 may be assembled from the corrugated cardboard blank 60 by folding the blank along the fold or crease lines 64 and 68 to move the front and rear inner panels 34 and 40 into an upright relationship with the bottom panel 26. The inner side panels 48 and 52 are then deflected inwardly by folding along the crease lines 66 and 70. The hopper flaps 74 and 86 are moved into abutting engagement with the outer surfaces of the inner side panels 48 and 52 by folding the blank along the crease lines 66 and 70.

Once the inner panels of the container have been positioned in this manner, the blank 60 is folded and glued to secure the outer panels in abutting engagement with the inner panels. Thus, the blank 60 is folded along the crease line 66 to move the outer side panel 50 into engagement with the hopper flap 74 and inner side panel 48 to which it is glued. Similarly, the blank 60 is folded along the crease line 70 to move the other outer side panel 54 into engagement with the hopper flap 80 and inner side panel 52 to which it is glued. The blank is then folded along the crease lines 94, 96 and 98 to bring the front and rear outer panels 36 and 42 into engagement with the associated inner panels 34 and 40 to which they are glued. Assembly of the carton 10 is completed by folding along the crease line 102 t and gluing the flap 104 to the outer side panel 50.

It should be noted that the outer front panel 36 is glued to the inner front panel 34 between the tear strip 12 and lowermost edge of the outer front panel. Therefore, a lower portion 114 of the front panel 36 remains secured to the inner front panel 34 upon tearing of the strip 12. Of course, tearing the strip 12 out of the outer front panel 36 releases the inner panel 34 for pivoting movement about the fold line 64 from the closed position of FIG. I to the open position of FIG. 2. A recess or notch 116 is provided in the inner front panel 34 to facilitate pulling it to the open position.

When the carton 10 is being assembled from the blank 60, the hopper flaps 74 and 80 are placed between the inner and outer side walls 48, 50 and 52, 54, respectively. Although the hopper side flaps 74 and 80 could be located inwardly of the inner side panels 48 and 52, the hopper flaps are advantageously located between the inner and outer side panels to enable the hopper flaps to swing upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2 with a minimum of interference from articles within the carton 10. As the hopper side flaps 74 and 80 swing upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2, stop surfaces 120 and 122 pivot into abutting engagement with the top wall 24 of the carton 10 to limit the outward movement of the front wall 14 and to hold the front wall in the position shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that the stop surfaces 120 and 122 extend at acute angles 124 and 126 (see FIG. 3) relative to the outer edge of the inner front panel 34. By varying these acute angles, the extent to which the front wall 14 pivots outwardly and the size of the mouth or opening to the hopper 18 can be adjusted.

In view of the foregoing description, it can be seen that the container 10 is provided with double layered front, rear and side walls 14, 38, 44 and 46 to enable the carton to withstand application of relatively large stacking loads against the top and bottom walls 24 and 26 of the container. In addition, the container 10 is pro vided with a tear strip 12 which is rupturable to enable the front wall 14 to be swung outwardly from the closed position of FIG. 1 to the open position of FIG. 2 to form a hopper 18. Since the tear strip 12 is located between the bottom walls 24 and 26 the carton 10 can be opened while remaining in a stack. Since the rear and side walls 38, 44 and 46 are double layered or paneled, the container 10 is capable of withstanding heavy stack loads even when it is open.

Having described a specific preferred embodiment of the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A stackable dispenser container comprising spaced apart top and bottom walls, spaced apart front and rear walls extending between said top and bottom walls, a pair of spaced apart side walls extending between said front and rear walls and cooperating with said top and bottom walls to form an article receiving chamber, each of said front, rear and side walls including an inner panel and an outer panel to provide said front, rear and side walls with sufficient strength to withstand loads imposed on said container upon placement of said container in a stack of containers, opener means on said outer panel of said front wall for releasing said inner panel of said front wall for movement from a closed position to an open position in which said inner panel of said front wall extends upwardly from said bottom wall at 'an acute angle, first and second side flaps extending from opposite end portions of said inner panel of said front wall into abutting engagement with said side walls, each of said side flaps having an edge portion movable from a first position spaced from said top wall to a second position disposed in abutting engagement with said top wall upon movement of said inner panel of said front wall from said closed position to said open position to limit outward movement of said inner panel of said front wall and to retain said inner panel of said front wall in a predetermined position relative to said bottom wall, said inner panel of said rear wall being connected with said bottom wall along a first fold line and said outer panel of said rear wall being connected with said top wall along a second fold line which extends parallel to said first fold line.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opener means is disposed on said outer panel of said front wall intermediate said top and bottom walls to facilitate operation of said opener means when said container is disposed in a stack of containers.

3. A container as set forth in claim 2 wherein said opener means includes means for severing said outer panel of said front wall at a location intermediate said top and bottom wall to release said inner panel of said front wall for movement to the open position.

4. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opener means includes a tear strip integrally formed with said outer panel of said front wall and defined by a plurality of perforations formed in said front panel of said front wall.

5. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said side flaps is disposed intermediate said inner and outer panels of an associated one of said side walls.

6. A stackable dispenser container comprising spaced apart top and bottom walls, spaced apart front and rear walls extending between said top and bottom walls, a pair of spaced apart side walls extending between said front and rear walls and cooperating with said top and bottom walls to form an article receiving chamber, each of said front, rear and side walls including an inner panel and an outer panel to provide said front, rear and side walls with sufficient strength to withstand loads imposed on said container upon placement of said container in a stack of containers, opener means on said outer panel of said front wall for releasing said inner panel of said front wall for movement from a closed position to an open position in which said inner panel of said front wall extends upwardly from said bottom wall at an acute angle, first and second side flaps extending from opposite end portions of said inner panel of said front wall into abutting engagement with said side walls, each of said side flaps having an edge portion movable from a first position spaced from said top wall to a second position disposed in abutting engagement with said top wall upon movement of said inner panel of siad front wall from said closed position to said open position to limit outward movement of said inner panel of said front wall and to retain said inner panel of said front wall in a predetermined position relative to said bottom wall, said top and bottom walls each being formed by a single panel, said outer panels of said front and rear walls being connected with the panel of at least one of said top and bottom walls along first and second fold lines, said first and second fold lines being disposed on opposite sides of said container and extending parallel to each other.

7. A container as set forth in claim 6 whereinsaid opener means is disposed on said outer panel of said front wall intermediate said top and bottom walls to facilitate operation of said opener means when said container is disposed in a stack of containers.

8. A container as set forth in claim 7 wherein said opener means includes means for severing said outer panel of said front wall at a location intermediate said top and bottom wall to release said inner panel of said front wall for movement to the open position.

9. A container as set forth in claim 6 wherein said opener meansincludes a tear strip integrally formed with said outer panel of said front wall and defined by a plurality of perforations formed in said front panel of said front wall.

10. A container as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said side flaps is disposed intermediate said inner and outer panels of an associated one of said side walls. 

1. A stackable dispenser container comprising spaced apart top and bottom walls, spaced apart front and rear walls extending between said top and bottom walls, a pair of spaced apart side walls extending between said front and rear walls and cooperating with said top and bottom walls to form an article receiving chamber, each of said front, rear and side walls including an inner panel and an outer panel to provide said front, rear and side walls with sufficient strength to withstand loads imposed on said container upon placement of said container in a stack of containers, opener means on said outer panel of said front wall for releasing said inner panel of said front wall for movement from a closed position to an open position in which said inner panel of said front wall extends upwardly from said bottom wall at an acute angle, first and second side flaps extending from opposite end portions of said inner panel of said front wall into abutting engagement with said side walls, each of said side flaps having an edge portion movable from a first position spaced from said top wall to a second position disposed in abutting engagement with said top wall upon movement of said inner panel of said front wall from said closed position to said open position to limit outward movement of said inner panel of said front wall and to retain said inner panel of said front wall in a predetermined position relative to said bottom wall, said inner panel of said rear wall being connected with said bottom wall along a first fold line and said outer panel of said rear wall being connected with said top wall along a second fold line which extends parallel to said first fold line.
 2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opener means is disposed on said outer panel of said front wall intermediate said top and bottom walls to facilitate operation of said opener means when said container is disposed in a stack of containers.
 3. A container as set forth in claim 2 wherein said opener means includes means for severing said outer panel of said front wall at a location intermediate said top and bottom wall to release said inner panel of said front wall for movement to the open position.
 4. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opener means includes a tear strip integrally formed with said outer panel of said front wall and defined by a plurality of perforations formed in said front panel of said front wall.
 5. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said side flaps is disposed intermediate said inner and outer panels of an associated one of said side walls.
 6. A stackable dispenser container comprising spaced apart top and bottom walls, spaced apart front and rear walls extending between said top and bottom walls, a pair of spaced apart side walls extending between said front and rear walls and cooperating with said top and bottom walls to form an article receiving chamber, each of said front, rear and side walls including an inner panel and an outer panel to provide said front, rear and side walls with sufficient strength to withstand loads imposed on said container upon placement of said container in a stack of containers, opener means on said outer panel of said front wall for releasing said inner panel of said front wall for movement from a closed position to an open position in which said inner panel of said front wall extends upwardly from said bottom wall at an acute angle, first and second side flaps extending from opposite end portions of said inner panel of said front wall into abutting engagement with said side walls, each of said side flaps having an edge portion movable from a first position spaced from said top wall to a second position disposed in abutting engagement with said top wall upon movement of said inner panel of siad front wall from said closed position to said open position to limit outward movement of saId inner panel of said front wall and to retain said inner panel of said front wall in a predetermined position relative to said bottom wall, said top and bottom walls each being formed by a single panel, said outer panels of said front and rear walls being connected with the panel of at least one of said top and bottom walls along first and second fold lines, said first and second fold lines being disposed on opposite sides of said container and extending parallel to each other.
 7. A container as set forth in claim 6 wherein said opener means is disposed on said outer panel of said front wall intermediate said top and bottom walls to facilitate operation of said opener means when said container is disposed in a stack of containers.
 8. A container as set forth in claim 7 wherein said opener means includes means for severing said outer panel of said front wall at a location intermediate said top and bottom wall to release said inner panel of said front wall for movement to the open position.
 9. A container as set forth in claim 6 wherein said opener means includes a tear strip integrally formed with said outer panel of said front wall and defined by a plurality of perforations formed in said front panel of said front wall.
 10. A container as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said side flaps is disposed intermediate said inner and outer panels of an associated one of said side walls. 